1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light source apparatus for medical use which can be used in common in a body cavity endoscope and in an ophthalmic observation apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Body cavity endoscopes (endoscopes designed for observing inside a body cavity) are for diagnosing the presence or absence of lesions and observing the state thereof while emitting illumination light in a body cavity (e.g., digestive canal) in the examinee (patient). Ophthalmic observation apparatuses are for diagnosing eye diseases such as glaucoma, retinal detachment and fundal hemorrhage of the eye by observing the state of blood vessels, retina and optic nerves in the ocular fundus while applying illumination light to an anterior eye part of the examinee. Conventionally, a light source apparatus used to supply illumination light to a body cavity endoscope and a light source apparatus used to supply illumination light to an ophthalmic observation apparatus have been separately prepared as special-purpose parts.
The reason why light source apparatuses are separately prepared for a body cavity endoscope and an ophthalmic observation apparatus in such a manner in convention systems is that the light quantity (luminous intensity) of illumination light required for body cavity endoscopes and the light quantity (luminous intensity) of light for the illumination required for ophthalmic observation apparatuses are considerably different from each other. Specifically, if an ophthalmic observation apparatus that operates well with a small quantity of light is mistakenly connected to a light source apparatus designed for body cavity endoscope that supplies illumination light which is great in light quantity (luminous intensity), one cannot visually observe the eyes of an examinee because reflected light of the illumination light by the crystalline lens is excessively great; moreover, there is a possibility of the eyes of the examinee being damaged. Therefore, it has been technical common sense to not to provide compatibility between the light source connectors of both light source apparatuses so that no ophthalmic observation apparatuses can be connected to a light source apparatus designed for body cavity endoscopes. However, if a light source apparatus (light source lamp) can be made available for both a body cavity endoscope and an ophthalmic observation apparatus, convenience in both power management and equipment investment would increase.